shipping/freighting your 4wd up north.. who's done it???

[tommo]

so ive got three and a falf weeks off in july and I want to do the cape!!! thinking of puting the patrol on a truck/train and flying to cairns then setting off!!
has anyone done this?? and how much did it cost you??
 I know people I was working with in kunnunurra the other year put there car on the train to darwin and flew up...

[ozbogwam]

I have been trying to figure this out as well. I found out you could get a fully loaded vehicle from Melb to Bris but no one would take a fully loaded one from Bris to Cairns

[tommo]

ok interesting, how much was did you get quoted for that??

[Bird]

theres numerous threads on this on here and Exploroz but dont think anyone has found a viable option. The issue is the loaded car..

[Matto]

Hi Tommo & ozbogwam,

Sunlander (train) can take a car from BNE to CNS for something pathetically cheap (like $500) without requiring you to accompany it. It's cheaper if you do book a ticket and ride with the car though (which may or may not be an option for you if time is the issue). Details are here:
http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/TradeToolbox/Products/Documents/Motorail/2011_12_The_Sunlander_Motorail_Factsheet.pdf

I don't see anything there that says you can't have a loaded vehicle. There's some restrictions about jerry cans of fuel and gas bottles, which may be annoying. Of course, it may be economical to ship the car up sans those items, and buy new gas bottles and jerry cans here in Cairns. Or if you speak to them, they might be happy with externally-mounted in-date gas bottles.

Good luck!
Matto

[ozbogwam]

On speaking to the Sunlander people they said no loaded vehicles or with roof racks.

In the end we were thinking of hiring a car carrier and getting six vehicles together at once. Nothing came of it though

[CRW]

so ive got three and a falf weeks off in july and I want to do the cape!!! thinking of puting the patrol on a truck/train and flying to cairns then setting off!!
has anyone done this?? and how much did it cost you??
 I know people I was working with in kunnunurra the other year put there car on the train to darwin and flew up...

We thought about the same thing and the camper trailer as well, but then found out they wont take camper trailers even if attached to the tow vehicle - due to "OH& S" issues.  Road trip here we come.

Cheers

Carl

[lilstookie]

Melbourne to Cairns can be done in 35hrs if driving is shared

Lil


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[SteveandViv]

Isn't the height issue with roof rack because of tunels or over head structures? I heard that is why you can take a car woth rack on the Ghan.

5 days form Broome to Cains when we did it :'(

[sako]

I had 2 patrol coil cabs, with canopys, fully loaded transported from Melbourne to cairns airport direct a few years ago. Cost was roughly 1k each

[MarkGU]

might be worth your while to check with freight companies that want back loading........they might just be looking for a "top up" load.

[ozbogwam]

I had 2 patrol coil cabs, with canopys, fully loaded transported from Melbourne to cairns airport direct a few years ago. Cost was roughly 1k each

who was that with? Any details

[tommo]

so the cheapest quote Ive gotten "from a mate in the freight business" was around $920 to Brisbane and double to cairns one way!
that being the case its not a viable option for me.
so think we'll just drive to cairns and not do the cape save it for another bigger trip 4 weeks to cairns and back should be relaxing i think.. go as far as cape tribulation then turn around

[BigJules]

That would still be a great trip Thommo, though the frustration of being slow close but so far is difficult.

Get someone else to drive it up for you and fly them back.

I'd also want a few weeks from Cairns to the tip, 3-4.

[idlegossip]

Thommo, to drive Melb to Cairns will take you 4 - 4 1/2 days with about 8 hour a day in the saddle. A very easy and do-able drive. 2 weeks on the cape and the same amount of time to return. You won't see all of the Cape but enough to cure the current itch for a short while until you can get back to explore more.

[Matto]

so the cheapest quote Ive gotten "from a mate in the freight business" was around $920 to Brisbane and double to cairns one way!
that being the case its not a viable option for me.
so think we'll just drive to cairns and not do the cape save it for another bigger trip 4 weeks to cairns and back should be relaxing i think.. go as far as cape tribulation then turn around

That sucks.

If you're going to go to Cape Trib, you may as well go up to Cooktown, even if it is only for a night or two (there's not much to do in Cooktown, but it's worth a visit, and the coast road is nice).

If you're keen you could push from Cooktown up into Lakefield/Laura, and get a bit of a taste for the Cape, but that's probably not a very viable option with the time you've got. Depends on how keen you are to stay on the move.

If I were you, I'd do a week transit to Cairns each way, which leaves a week and a half to explore around here. That's a good amount of time to get a feel for the place. It's not the Cape, but hey, it's the next best thing . As Jules says, I'd want around the 3-4 weeks dedicated just to heading north from here.

If it's any consolation, us northerners are jealous that you're so close to the High Country.

Good luck!
Matto

[TOPNDR]

If it's dry north of Cairns, the CREB track's well worth the effort.  Continue through Wujal Wujal and camp at The Lions Den, look see around Cooktown, then back along the Bloomfield Track.